01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Offering charcoal-grilled Daisen chicken skewers and market-fresh sashimi in an unassuming setting, Ueda is a reliable neighborhood izakaya in Itabashi for an unpretentious drink. Counter and table seats sit within a calm dining space where patrons can build a tailored evening meal while checking the whiteboard for the day's fresh catches and specials.
Starting with Skewers and Fresh Fish
The grilled skewers made with Daisen chicken make a natural starting point. Flavorful cuts like harami (skirt), succulent salted chicken wings, and gently cooked rare liver can be ordered conveniently from just 1 skewer each. Matching these with a 2-piece daily sashimi assortment, raw bluefin tuna nakaochi scrapings, bonito, or wild yellowtail sets a bright first course on the table.
Rewarmed Breads and Hearty Izakaya Fare
A distinctive surprise at Ueda is the house-baked bread selection uncommon to typical taverns. Offerings include hot fried curry bread, fried anpan filled with sweet red bean paste, and thick-cut pizza toast, with the kitchen happily reheating bread at the table upon request. While working through tavern standards like grilled hanpen with melted cheese and mayonnaise or deep-fried tofu topped with natto, regular patrons often pick out bread to take home for breakfast the next morning.
Robust Highballs and an Easy Pace
To drink, locals lean toward the house-blended Ueda Highball or a Hoppy set poured with generous measures of shochu. Yamagata Prefecture's Hatsumago sake, bottle-keep shochu options, and mixers accommodate guests settling in for an extended drinking session. Open from 17:00 to 23:30 every day except Thursday, with reservations and PayPay payments accepted, the tavern fits comfortably into solo tavern visits or relaxed nights out with friends.
